


Rumors

by Chocolatesandblood



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: F/M, OFC/o!ciel, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 16:24:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16141028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocolatesandblood/pseuds/Chocolatesandblood
Summary: A sixteen-year-old girl found herself entangled with the life of all of our dear kuroshitsuji kids. (Or about the Phantomhive twins and Lizzy Midford being very popular among the students)





	Rumors

**Author's Note:**

> Italicized sentences are thoughts of the main character while narrating the story.

_It’s both amazing and impressive how love can turn us to the weakest person in the planet or to something worse than a monster. How it changes us to someone else or how we return to ourselves for the same reason. I fell in love once and it didn’t have a very good ending. Let’s just say he is meant for someone more worthy of him or that girl is more worthy of him than I do. This is not about my romance after all._

_I always admire them from afar, the three of them. Those beautiful people who are always together and while I loved one of them, I can’t say I had forgot the rest. It’s that we were in the same school that I realized something that behind their pretty faces and stunning eyes there are the lies and mystery hidden behind them. I’m not here to accuse them or to talk ill but to narrate about what happened and how I knew it happened based on what they told me –for I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to be their friend and based on my own experience –and according to what some of the rumors said. Because I don’t believe that all rumors don’t hold facts with them. Sometimes they do, and when it does that’s the time you would refuse to believe it._

_The story I’m going to narrate to you is the one about the infamous Phantomhive twins. Ciel, the one who puts on the good and smiling face while Astre, the one who hides the secrets and mysteries. About how they love in very different ways no matter how much they are like the mirror of each other._

 

Ciel Phantomhive, Astre Phantomhive and Elizabeth Midford are always surrounded with rumors. Every single thing they do is a scandal for all students. They all love to gossip about them and no one can separate anymore what’s true and what is just a rumor. Sometimes it is about Phantomhives being the head of a mafia group or something worse or Elizabeth Midford is a very strong girl who wields swords or Astre Phantomhive has a demon by his side. And anyone who get involves with them will be included in the rumors too.

Four years ago, on our seventh grade the McMillian boy who started following Astre Phantomhive once (which he claimed himself to be his best friend) earned a bloody punch from Ciel Phantomhive himself. There was a ruckus in the campus for a whole week. It was then that rumors rose in the campus the most. There was a lot of quarrel within the twins (a lot of cursing and cussing coming from their mouths every time they meet on the hallways) and of course, everyone tries to befriend one of them now that they are finally separated from each other. But Elizabeth Midford stands in between, she held out her hands on both of them and meddle with the fight because no one would expect someone else to stop it. It was the first dispute between the famous twins and everyone is already intrigued. They praise McMillian who cannot sleep every night out of guilt. Finally, their fight ended and the bond between them remained strong as ever. 

But the unforgettable two years that happened on our Weston that marked on every student’s memory is the missing of Astre Phantomhive after the death of their parents because of an accident. Everyone speculated that he is dead but some believe otherwise. Elizabeth keeps silent for the whole year when the students and some of her friends would ask her of her opinion and feelings toward it. Four months after his missing, Ciel stopped coming to school and although it is just normal to keep out of somebody else’s business but since it concerns the known Phantomhive; for the whole two years Astre is missing, no one shuts up about it. People said (again according to rumors) that the Phantomhive youngest son was last seen on the burial of Mr. and Mrs. Phantomhive and ran away after. Two years after, Astre came back. Safe and whole. Claims that he lost his memories. He never said what happened. Even when media is all over them (being one of the richest in England) the cause of his missing remains a mystery.

I sat here at my seat on the classroom with an open lunch box lays on my lap. The Phantomhive is not my family, I have family on my own but since then I can’t get them out of my little mind.

“Catherine!” An orange haired girl made her way across the room to me while waving her hands to catch my attention

“Hey” I simply greeted and she sat beside me. Every lunch time, every student would leave the classroom and students barely stay so all seats are vacant.

“What are you doing here alone?”

“Watching them” I pointed my index finger at the field from my window beside me. It is where we do our physical activity every Friday but in the rest of the weekdays, the field is occupied by mostly random students who want to rest there. Around it are trees and grass so you can find anyone lying there peacefully. My finger is directly pointed to Astre’s cobalt blue hair. He is walking with his twin, Ciel and they look like they are discussing a serious topic judging on the seriousness of their faces. From across the field, a blonde girl with pigtailed hair run towards them and with less than second, engulf one of the twins with a very tight embrace. 

“She’s a beauty” Annabeth commented and I could just nod. “They say that Ciel has been courting Elizabeth Midford for many years”

“Just another rumor to add to the list” I try poking my fried fish with a fork.

“I don’t know. Among the rumors, it’s the closest to a fact” She pointed her manicured pinky to both Elizabeth and Ciel “Just _look_ at them”. Elizabeth had stopped squeezing Ciel (I can easily identify which is which because Astre distinctively wears an eyepatch) but Ciel’s hands remained on Elizabeth’s hourglass waist. “They are more like a couple now” she added.

“They’re dating?”

“Some said they do. They are always together”

“Did they say that?”

Annabeth sighs “No, Catherine. They didn’t. But shouldn’t you celebrate?”

My eyes winced “What do you mean?”

She rolls her eyes in irritation “What I mean? You know perfectly what I mean. You liked Astre Phantomhive since grade four and Midford girl has always been in the way. You are jealous and you told that to me back when we were eleven” I look at her with awe. Part of me is glad that she remembers but also mildly embarrassed about the issue

“He’s just so… cool”

“And so is Ciel No difference”

“No. Unlike him, he doesn’t fake a smile”

“He barely smiles; you know”

“He’s smart”

“Both of them are” I glare at Annabeth but she simply shrugs her shoulders “They have the same personalities and attitudes. Ciel is just always calm unlike Astre. But Astre has longer patient thatn Ciel”

 “He’s also manipulative, smart and handsome. Like a bad boy” I said and batted my eyelashes. Annabeth took one step away from me with disgust

“Stop drooling. It’s disgusting”

I giggled and watch the field again with Ciel and Astre sitting on one of its benches with Elizabeth between them.

“It’s okay to drool” I extend my arms in to the air outside the window, trying to gasp Astre even though he’s two hundred meters away from me “He’s out of reach anyway. Like a protagonist from a book. You can fall in love with him but he’s not gonna go out of the book to love you”

Annabeth chuckles while shaking her head “You’re so…”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence as the bell rings warning that the lunch time had ended so within a second, all students are all running and stumbling to enter the classroom before the teacher enters. Annabeth hastily stands up before the owner of the seat claims it and goes back to her classroom.

I glance again at the field and Astre remained there. Ciel and Elizabeth had left while intertwining their hands.

‘They’re really dating huh’ I thought. Astre looks at both of them walking together from distance with lonely and longing eyes. Maybe he thought that they are now together and someday he will get left behind.

Astre looks up and our gazes met. It seems like time froze that time and my eyes are glued to him but he quickly looks away. He stood up and walk towards his class.

_Protagonist from a book can only love the girl destined for him to love because that is how he is written…_

 

“Damn it” I murmured. I try for the nth time to pour down the acid out of the bottle to its test tube without spilling the chemical and make the amount just enough.

“It should be just in your eye level. And use a funnel please” I glance behind me. A short dark haired foreign girl wearing cat eye glasses is watching me and I could already see her eyes twitching at the sight of my experiment.  

“I was only preparing”

She fixes her glasses “Yeah… I can see that”

“You are?”

“Sieglinde Sullivan grade 11 from section A of STEM Major” she smiles. I could hear the German accent on her voice.

“The genius” was the only thing my mouth could say. Looking at her, she only looks like a nerd who focuses on academics so much and is very proud about it. I didn’t actually anticipate to be able to talk to her nor see her in here.  Sieglinde Sullivan is a popular name in the whole campus, having to steal all the academic championships in all field of science every single year. Not only that, she was part of the small group of friends concerning the Phantomhive twins. She is also Elizabeth Midford’s best friend. Really, they are all extraordinary and important. There was also a rumor that she and Astre once dated but that quickly died down when a rumor about Sullivan and Elizabeth Midford being in love with each other started. Of course, those are all lies and holds dubious facts.

“Thank you. Do you really hold it like that? Grip it” her voice didn’t come out request but command but at the same has a patient and sweet tone in it. I grip the tube as she said. I suddenly felt the crackling of its glass from my gloved palm. Sieglinde seems to notice this and sighs.

“No not that, please. The funnel. Grip your hold on the funnel and place the test tube on its holder then put the chemical” Her voice wasn’t patient anymore that’s making my hands tremble more.

“Alright”

“And go down a bit, your eyes should be leveled with the test tube”

I nodded and did it again following her instructions. This time I succeeded and obtain the result I needed.

I turn to Ms. Sullivan and she is staring at me too “I’m Catherine Wodstreth, by the way” I extend my hand and she willingly took it

Sullivan took off her glasses. Her intelligent forest green eyes are looking at me sharply “I was just checking the science laboratory since this my class is vacant. And oh, Ms. Wods-streth-”

Sieglinde lightly chuckles. She seems to have difficulty pronouncing my last name and lisp her ‘s’

“Just Catherine” I told her and she agreeingly nodded

“Catherine, They’re looking for you at the field”

“Who?”

Sieglinde smoothed her short black hair “I meant Elizabeth Midford and Astre Phantomhive. They are looking for you”

“Huh?”

Sullivan widely grinned “Your group summer camp, remember? All students will have a summer camp annually and you’ll be group by ten to eleven and then–”

I grab the small paper from my pocket. It was the small piece of paper the teachers gave me that has the name of my summer camp groupmates in it. The teacher does a lottery to pick your group mates and then list them down and distribute them to all students. This happens annually and you can only be grouped to students who are also in your grade level. The purpose of the camp is to really plan an entertainment or any of that sort for upcoming senior high students (which is us). I haven’t open the letter since morning. The people I have been grouped with for the last few years are either bunch of weirdos, very silent ones, naughty, or just boring ones. I was never group to anyone I know since the luck is always against me. I open the crumpled paper from my pocket and read the printed names written on it. There are ten students there but the two famous names embodied on it were the only ones familiar to me

_Group 24:_

Agales, Macey

Bejardo, Mary Angela, C.

Caliburt, Victoria Dalia D.

Cardermu, Philips F.

Midford, Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia P.

Phantomhive, Astre D.

Winddleford, Aisla, A.

Wistleton John Michael,

Wodstreth, Catherine T.

Zeales, George Henry S.

_I should’ve stopped breathing that time. I should have known that dying is better that time instead of slowly getting involved to them. But I didn’t know what fate planned to me back then because if I knew, I would have pretended to be sick the whole month and distance myself from them. From the dark secrets of Midfords to the hidden mysteries of the Phantomhive family. I should have known._

_But I didn’t._

“At 10:00 all students will have a meeting with their respective teams” Sieglinde reminds me. She walks away and check other students. I glance up to check the clock hanging on our lab room’s wall. It’s already 9:36.

 

My hands are fidgeting while walking down the stairs to the field. The field where I was looking at earlier to watch those three. While walking fast, I accidentally bumped to a human.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking” I said. He kneels down to pick up the pile of papers he dropped.

Looking at the color of his hair, I immediately realized who it was. The boy stood up, an almost obvious fake smile plastered on his beautiful face

“It’s fine” said he.

ITISCIELFUCKINGPHANTOMHIVEIMGONNADIETONIGHTISWEAR

The famous young nobleman with stunning sapphire eyes was standing only a meter from me. If only breathing is not the one that keeps me alive, I would have forgot how to do it.

“I-I-I” Can anyone remind me how to speak again?

It didn’t last. Ciel Phantomhive immediately walk away like he’s rushing for something. I was standing there dazed with my mouth still gape open.

He is more handsome up close. He could pass as a model or actor for something and everyone wouldn’t get tired of his face. After five minutes of standing on the stairs like a total idiot, I eventually remembered where I should go.

I was still sweating like hell though the whole campus is air conditioned and the outside is cold since it is almost winter season. I look around the field and my eyes immediately spotted the golden blonde hair and dark blue one. My heart is bouncing back on my chest while walking towards them. I almost got tripped by a student but luckily I avoided it. I was anxiously thinking of what would they think of me. Would they find me cool or boring? Cute or hideous? Funny or too serious? Oh, how would I introduce to them? I was thinking of backing out and think about what I would say first but my phone vibrates on my pocket and I immediately picked it up. It was a notification.

_Astre Phantomhive created a group chat with Philips Cardermu, VDD Caliburt, and 7others._

Astre Phantomhive: Let’s meet on the field.

I gasp. They are really waiting. I was still trying to convince myself to turn away first but they already notice me.

It was Elizabeth who saw me first. She waves her hand to me and Astre soon followed her gaze. Astre Phantomhive. The boy I’ve had a huge crush ever since I was 9 is now looking at me directly. Even just to be look at is just a dream. Astre isn’t the kind of boy I could reach. He’s a mere fantasy, a mere character from a book.

My heart thump

No. He is _real_. The real person who is now staring at me with his deep ocean blue eyes.

They are sitting on a bench together with table in front and another bench on the other side. I stand in front of them, unblinking. Good thing Elizabeth is a very talkative and cheerful individual. She’s the first one to talk.

“I’m Elizabeth Midford, please do call me Lizzy. And this is Astre” she gestures to him “Are you comfortable in this spot? If you aren’t we can move anywhere. We’re fine with anywhere as long as we can plan the camp. And oh right! I got an idea on my head and I’ve been waiting for the two of you for hours and hours –since I knew I was grouped with all of you –to tell you! It’s that–”

“Wait Elizabeth” Astre’s voice is like a mix of thunder and sweets “Let her sit down and talk first”

Elizabeth’s cheeks turned pink “Yes, of course!”

They both look at me and the whole world seems like to stop spinning

“Please sit down. I’m sorry if I come out as rude” said Elizabeth. I did as I was told and sat down on the chair across them (because no one could refuse a girl as lovely as Elizabeth).

“No you didn’t” whispered Astre.

“U-uhm, I’m Catherine Wodstreth from class 4-B.” I introduced and my hands are trembling and sweating I hid them on my lap. They nodded to me as if still waiting for something else. “uh… tha-that’s all”

“Wodstreth? It rings a bell to me” said Astre. Wodstreth surname isn’t that common so when Astre said that he finds it familiar, I can’t help but be a little intrigued to what he would say next.

But Elizabeth didn’t pay attention what Astre was talking about and proceed to talk about what we are really here for. “Let’s think what are we going to do? Dancing, singing, acting. eating, running, I’m excited!” Elizabeth happily beamed. She’s so very excited about everything.

“And about what we’re going to do, maybe some sort of program?” I suggested. Elizabeth smiles at me and I feel great that I made her somewhat happy.

“I was also thinking of that! A program. Like a play!”

“A play? Everyone is going for that” said Astre. “What about a contest?”

“A contest where everyone would enjoy since they are already earning something while doing it” I said. I realized when I began talking to them, all the timid and self-conscious I’ve been feeling had evaporated from me. It only feels like I’ve been close to them for many years. Or is it because of Elizabeth’s friendly aura?

“Exactly! A contest where everyone would enjoy? Hmm… an eating contest?” Lizzie suggested

Astre tapped his chair impatiently “No no no, bad idea to welcome the new school year with heavy stomach” He rubs his pale cheeks “Hmm… something that they would gain while doing it and enjoy it. Eating contest would fit it but considering that it would lead us to bad effects… What is it… what is it that teenagers like?”

“Uhm… handsome and beautiful man and women?” I said and both of them stare at me with awe. Either because what I said sounds too smart or too stupid.

“Yeah I was also thinking the same…” Astre somehow looked a bit embarrassed. I study his face for a second and turn my eyes away.

“But shouldn’t we wait for the other members?” Elizabeth asked. 

“I had created a group chat and message them. So maybe they’ll be here any moment” said Astre but Elizabeth didn’t look any convince.

“What about we just talk in the group chat? I mean there, no one would be shy”

Elizabeth turns to me “Sure but we should firstly introduce to each other personally”

_Elizabeth’s eyes are pure green. Not as dark as Sullivan’s but hers is like an emerald. A shining pure emerald stone where it gleams under her long eyelashes every time her lips curl upwards. Her face is pale and smooth, free from acne or pimples. Her body is also petite and a bit small like a doll. The one who is always beside her is Astre, who is very beautiful for a man. His eyes are dark blue just like how his hair is. His dark eyepatch covers his right eye and it would have made him look like a pirate or a creep if he wasn’t handsome._

_I remember this time that I accidentally noted that while staring at him, his eyes had softened and at the same look hurt when he makes a short glimpse of Elizabeth. It only lasted for a second but that look he had was already embarked on my memory. That time was when I become more curious than ever. She is his brother’s girlfriend so why would he look like in pain or something?_

 I suddenly remember the time he had gone missing. I was scared at that time. I was afraid that my childhood crush would never return again. But he came back, along with Ciel who had stopped attending school. Elizabeth became active and cheerful again and would play to other students again. Just like the time they first entered the academy.

“What group was Ciel in?” Elizabeth spouted in the middle of our silence.

Astre coolly shrugs his shoulders “He didn’t tell me. He’s been busy this past few days. Council President reasons.” He limply lays his back against the chair and check his Rolex watch “It’s 10:15 already”

“Are they still coming?” Lizzy asked

“I hope so” said Astre “They can’t go anywhere”

They did come. Only twenty minutes late and I thought that maybe they also got shy like me knowing it was Astre and Elizabeth they were grouped with. All boys are all blushing while sitting next to Elizabeth and girls had looked like they wanted to bite Astre’s head off his neck when they saw him on his PE uniform wearing a varsity jacket with the name CIEL written on it in big capital letters (Guess he borrowed it from his twin or Ciel forcefully made him wear it). They are all excited and scared at the same time of what impression would they leave to Astre and Elizabeth.

We talked for the whole hour and I get to know everyone. Some are shy but most of them are very talkative (but still not as talkative as Lizzie and I admire her for that). Astre’s choices of words are enough to make every girl go mad. His voice is very androgynous and beautiful. Elizabeth’s laugh is so melodic you’d want to listen to it all day.

We decided to go for having a party house knowing that every teenager would want them.  There would be food especially sweets since I must admit that Astre is obviously obsess for deserts (he suggested all the desserts we should add to the menu and he named them all). There would also some sort of games inside it where when they won, they will have a free meal as a price which we haven’t decided what game it would be yet. The ideas were mostly from Elizabeth and she still has many ideas running in her creative mind. Astre too, but his most suggestions are always focusing on solving a mystery, a dessert baking contest (and he stated that he’ll be the judge) or a how-much-do-you-know-about-your-country contest. Some are helping too, one even suggested that we make a horror booth but I guess everyone would not wish to take part in wearing a shabby horror costume in the middle of September. Aisla had suggested a café and to appease the other students we should wear cat costumes but the thought had made Astre’s spine shiver which is an enough reason to throw the idea away much to her disappointment (And I certainly WOULDN’T wear a cat costume at any cost).

We made goodbyes to one another and Astre said (even though no one would say it aloud, we all decided to ourselves that he is the leader) that he will update us on our group chat so we’ll know when will we start making designs and all. Astre would be the one planning everything and he told us that if he needs help, he’ll just contact us.

 

It was already night when I left school. The breezy night is making me shiver with cold. I wrapped the jacket around me that is almost a cold and only gives me small amount of warmth. I look up and the clouds are turning dark grey like a heavy rain is threatening to fall down. I left my umbrella and I don’t think my thin hoody could help me. There was a stop light and I stopped on the pedestrian lane. All the cars are also hurrying and I waited for the stop light to turn red so I could cross already.

The light turned red and I cross the lane alone. I left my school very late so I wasn’t expecting any other students to go home with. I live in a small apartment alone because my family lives very from London and I had to live on my own. Like any other students of Weston, I came from a wealthy family. We owned several restaurants in the England and my family’s name would always appear on every magazine or on television. We are quite known that may be one of the reasons I easily enter the public school.

It's very cold and my lips is shivering from cold. The rain is also threatening to fall down. The night is also getting dark. Suddenly, an Audi black car stopped in front of me. I prepared myself to run but its passenger seat’s window immediately goes down. 

“You can ride with us” he said.

And it’s none other than Ciel Phantomhive. I thought of running away again because goodness, this is even worse. 

“Eh… eh with me?”

“Unless there’s someone else beside you. Yes, you. I am talking to you” He made a fake grin.

“Way to go, brother. A gentleman talking to a lady like that. Impressive” someone behind him said. I immediately recognize that voice though it sounds very much like Ciel’s.

Ciel turns around for a second to sarcastically thank his brother and turn to me again “If you want to freeze here or to get struck by a lightning and die then say so, we’ll leave already and apologize for wasting your time”

“Uh-” I hesitated. They’re the untouchable Phantomhives. I am still trying to process my mind that I wasn’t only daydreaming. Imagine your school’s heartthrobs suddenly asking you to ride with them along with your crush. Wouldn’t you want to go scream and pass out?

“Why am I hearing words ‘struck’ and ‘die’?!” A girl from behind Ciel suddenly freaked out. That voice is of course, a familiar one too.

“Err… I was talking to–”

But the girl didn’t give time for Ciel to finish his sentence and instantly jumped on Ciel’s lap to the passenger’s window

“Lizzie wait–” Ciel tries to push her but she already made her head a way to the window. She looks up and saw me. Elizabeth widen her eyes and I stand there completely stunned at her for sticking her head out the window even when Ciel tried to stop her.

“Cathy!” Her golden hair is glistening. “It’s you! You’re on your way home?”

I silently nodded

She showed me her very white and clean teeth as she happily grins at me “It’s going to rain soon. Do you have an umbrella?”

I shake my head “…No”

“Then we’re going to give you a ride home! It’s dark and dangerous already”

Did I mention already that no one could refuse a girl as lovely as Elizabeth? Of course all I could do is nod. She hurriedly moves from Ciel’s lap to her own seat at the back. I still heard her say: “Astre, please open the door”

“Sure” replied Astre. The right door from the backseat is opened and Astre move to his side a little to give some space for me. I sat there beside him. I had never been nervous as ever as when I am now only a meter apart from him.

A thick book is lying on his lap and Elizabeth is on his left side.

“Hullo” Astre said and I knew I lost my words there when he talked to me. This is the first he speaks to me. He won’t even talk to me on our meeting. He would just speak after me or speak for himself based on what I said.

“When is your house, Cathy?” Elizabeth asked. If it was someone else, I would have hated it when they give me such a silly pet name. But hearing it from Elizabeth’s voice, it’s like the name really meant for me and decided from her.

“Just a little further straight on this road. It’s the Hereford Apartment”

“Oh I know that” said Astre as he unfolded his book “It’s where Soma is staying”

From the passenger seat, I heard Ciel grunts.

“That–”

“Language please” Astre said without looking up from his book

“I barely said a word” muttered Ciel.

“I know what you’re going to say; ‘That little runt who is always being followed by a weird looking Indian man who wears tissue as a glove’. That little runt is a college student now by the way”

“–that kind Indian man who desperately wants to be your friend –was what I was going to say”

Astre raises his hand “Talk to my palm.”

Ciel grumbles under his breath and bring out his tablet. I can see from the passenger side view mirror that he’s playing flappy bird on his iPad.

Elizabeth clapped her hands to attract our attention “What about we play a game instead?”

“Huh?” Ciel said and turn off his tablet “What kind of game do you have in mind?”

“Truth or Dare!” she beamed.

“What? No. What about chess?” Astre closes his book and bend his body to reach his bag lying on his foot.

“No! Only two people can play that”

“We can take sides” suggested Ciel

“And you two will be the one to still play the game in the end. We’re just gonna watch” uttered Elizabeth. “Truth or Dare.”

The twin sighed looking defeated. I guess even them can’t refuse Elizabeth’s undeniable charms.

“Alright” Ciel said and fix his sitting sideward “But there’s no bottle here”

“We’re gonna use a notebook. Then we’ll write our name there and spin the ball pen and the name it is pointed will be asked whether truth or dare” Elizabeth explained and from her bag, she took a notebook and a black ballpen. She writes there and when she’s done, she removes the book from Astre’s lap and replace it with a notebook on his lap. “I’ll spin first!”

The ballpen spins and I was praying hard that it won’t stop its tip on me.

It stopped on Ciel. I heard Astre snickers.

“I’m gonna ask you, Ciel. When was the last time you farted? Or pick your nose? Or–”

“Stop being disgusting, brother.” Ciel glares at his twin but Astre just smirks.

“Well I wasn’t being disgusting. I was just asking when was the last time you did such thing every normal human do for a living?”

“I haven’t picked whether truth or dare yet”

“Well Astre, the spinner will be the one to ask questions” Elizabeth reminded to Astre

“Dammit”

Ciel shrugs his shoulders “Truth”

“So Ciel...” Elizabeth knowingly smiles and maybe if I had known her for so long, I would’ve known she is trying to act flirty with him “did you ever kiss a girl?”

“No.” Ciel answered without hesitation “My mother is a woman. Not a girl” The answer seems to brighten Elizabeth’s eyes more. She looks like she had wanted to kiss him or something the moment she heard that.

“Okay! Next spinner will be… Catherine!” Elizabeth bouncily said. Maybe if someone would open the car’s door, she would jump out of the car and dance and spin her head hard.

I pick up the ballpen and spin it on the notebook lying on Astre’s lap.

And it stopped.

On Astre’s.

Eh…

EH?!!!!!

“Uh-uh” I swear I was sweating hard. My hand and lips are trembling with either excitement or nervous. “uh… truth or dare?”

“Truth”

I was tempted to ask him what happened in the two years he had gone missing. But I knew I have no position to ask such personal question. So I came up with more silly question “err… how many girls have you dated and who are they?”

“That’s two questions” said Astre. I just asked two question but I knew his answer would be none. Based on what I observe; he looks like not the type to go for such a silly date. He doesn’t seem like a normal teenager anyway.

Ciel chuckled “Just answer it, you playboy” I heard Astre mildly groan

“Three” he answered. I gasp silently. I had thought Astre was the type of boy who wouldn’t even dare to touch a single strand of a girl’s hair. “First, my classmate I-forgot-her-name when I was ten whom Elizabeth set up with me because I was too depressed on the death of my dog named Sebastian. Second, Doll or Freckles or whatever her name was when I was fourteen and I would be more than glad not to talk about it because that’s one of the most embarrassing time of my life. Then lastly, Sullivan when I was fifteen. She just casually asked me to go out for a date once and it never worked out so yeah”

“The first girl is named Adela. She’s one of Bluer’s sisters” said Elizabeth

“yeah whatever”

“Cathy” Elizabeth called me and lean forward a bit “You’re going to decide who’s next” 

I was still nervous and also very anxious to this car so I just made a random pick from my head between the Phantomhive twins. _Eeny, meeny, miny, moe_ “Then Ciel”

Ciel willingly step forward to spin the ballpen. I can already picture him praying for it to be Astre.

Then it stopped on him. Again.

“Astre it is!” Ciel mused

“That’s unfair! Twice shouldn’t–”

“There’s no rule saying being picked twice is not counted. But there was a rule saying that once you picked truth, you can’t choose it again on the second time. So it’s a dare!”

“What?!” Astre exclaimed and widen his eyes on Elizabeth “Elizabeth, tell me it’s not true!”

But Elizabeth can only smile apologetically. Astre gulped nervously.

“Now” Ciel smiles evilly “kiss your big brother on the cheeks”

“Fuck you”

“Language please”

“No, fuck you”

“Hey little brother, don’t you love your big brother who took care of you for sixteen years?”

“You’re just older for eleven seconds”

“Still older though”

“You used my toothbrush last week! You’re the most disgusting brother I ever had”

“It’s because you flushed my toothbrush on the toilet”

“It was an accident”

“Excuses, excuses” Ciel waves his hand at Astre sophistically “Do your dare and stop whining”

“Change. Your. Dare.”

“I won’t”

“Change it”

“I won’t”

“Change it”

“I won’t!”

“I won’t do it” Astre cocks his head away “You stupid pompous slimy excuse for a brother with a complex”

“If you do it” Ciel smiles with persuasion “I’ll let you go out on a date with Lizzy”

Astre turns to his brother with narrowed eyes. His warm sapphire eyes meeting Ciel’s cold ocean blue eyes.

“Huh? What?” snapped Elizabeth and look up from her iPhone. She had busied herself on her phone while Ciel and Astre bickers. “What date?”

“Astre, you had missed Lizzie when she went to New York last summer right?” Ciel told Astre who is turning a shade of crimson now.

“No –no it-it’s-s n-not–”

“Look, you’re turning red now”

“Huh? I mean like it’s not really anything unusual. I miss Astre too. If he wants to spend time with me, I don’t mind! Really, you could’ve told me” Elizabeth smiled at Astre who is now a real tomato. Much to our surprise, Elizabeth leans forward and hug Astre and kiss him on his cheek “Astre’s really sweet!”

Instead of getting better, it turned worse. Astre now looked like he’s gonna pass out. While Ciel is obviously controlling himself from a fit of laughter

When Astre turned slightly better, Ciel let out a soft cough “So, you’re gonna do your dare?”

“Psh” replied Astre with an exaggerated roll of eye. He bent forward and kiss Ciel on the cheeks. Ciel’s grin grew wider.

“Elizabeth’s right, you’re a really sweet little brother”

“Fuck off”

“Language please” Elizabeth said while giggling.

The car’s driver stopped the car. I look on the window and I didn’t notice that we already arrived on my apartment.

“Aww, we’re here already” Elizabeth sadly said. I, too, was disappointed it’s done already. I wished it was longer and it was Astre’s turn in the game too.

I got off the car and turn around before leaving. “Thank you” I said and bowed down slightly in Korean manner.

“Welcome. Thank you for hanging out with us too” Elizabeth smiles again. Oh, how I wish I could stare at her smiling all day. The window goes down and the car began moving again. I slept early that day but there was a beep from my open so I tiredly open it while already laying on my bed.

‘Good night!’ Elizabeth messaged to our group chat. Everyone reacted and messaged too. I silently smile.  ‘It would be nice if we can be close friends’ I thought. I close my eyes and slept heavily. And luckily, I didn't die tonight.

_That day was a really tiring day..._

 


End file.
